Whiffletree



. (No Model.)

0. OLNEY.

- WHIFFLETREE. No. 304,231. Patented Aug. 26, 1884.

J 0 w fl Wit) esse-s:

Um'rnn STATES PATENT. @rrrcn.

OMAR OLNEY, OF MOPHERSON, KANSAS.

WHIFFLETREE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 304,231, dated August 26, 1884.

Application filed April 2, 1884. (N0 model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OMAR OLNEY, of Mo- Pherson; in the county of McPherson and State of Kansas, have invented a new and valuable Improvement in WVhiflietrees; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and-exact description of the construction and operation of the same, reference .being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, and to the letters and figures. marked thereon. I

The invention consists in certain new and improved combinations of parts, as more fully hereinafter described, and specifically pointed out in the claim.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a view of my invent-ion, showing the same applied to the shafts of a vehicle; Fig. 2, a detached view of the angle-levers, and Fig. 3 a detached view of one of the bolts. Fig. 4. is a sectional view taken on the lines a: 00 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a view of a bolt of the preferred construct-ion.

In the said drawings, the letter A indicates the shafts of the vehicle, and B the cross-bar connecting the said shafts at their rear in the usual manner.

Theletter 0 indicates two angle-levers, which are pivoted at their angles by the bolts D, secured to the crossbar near each end, as indicated. These levers are precisely similar in construction, and their short arms are connected by means of the bar E, which is pivoted to the said arms at their ends. Thelong arms are provided with hooks F, to which the traces are attached. The bolts D are 1360K. liar in construction, being formed with an enlarged bearing between their two ends, which are screw-threaded for the reception of screwnuts, by which the said bolts are secured to the cross-bar, and the levers are secured to said bolts.

In securing the bolts to the cross-bar,one of the screw-threaded ends is passed through an aperture in said bar formed for the purpose, sothat the enlarged bearing a will rest upon the top of the cross-bar, and the bolt is clamped in place by means of a screw-nut, 22, applied below. The levers are placed upon the bolts thus secured, the apertures at their angles being adapted to fit upon the enlarged bearings, as indicated. The screw-nuts are then applied, so as to securely hold the levers in place. As thus constructed, it will be perceived that the draft is as perfectly equalized as with the ordinary whiflietree, and an easy vibratory motion or whiffletree action obtained, by which the ordinary clumsy whiffletrees may be dispensed with, and the strain upon the crossbar will be distributed to near each end of the same, instead of being at the center, which is the weakest part, as in the case of the ordinary whiffletrees; also, it will be seen that, by reason of the improved bolts with enlarged bearings, a firm and substantial connection is provided for the angle-levers, which will prevent them from lifting or working away, and provide for a true and easy movement of the parts. Moreover, the bolts, as thus constructed and applied, cannot possibly bend out of line, thus saving the expense of frequent removal, and permitting the levers always to work truly.

Instead of the enlarged bearingbeing formed integral with the bolts, as previously eX- plained, the said bolts may be formed as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, in which case the nuts a will serve the same purpose as the enlarged bearing a. The former construction is, however, preferred.

When applied to a two-horse vehicle, the levers are secured to the crossbar at each side of the tongue, and ordinary whiftletrees are secured to these ends, to which the horses are hitched in the usual manner.

I am aware that angle-levers of different leverage have been connected and pivoted to the cross-bar of a vehicle to equalize the draft' of one animal pulling against two others, and this I do not-claim.

The gist of my invention consists in the arrangement of the levers, which are identi cally alike, to get an equal draft at each end, or a perfect whiflietree action, and the peculiar means of securing the levers to the crossbar, so as to get an easy even action, to prevent wear, and to increase the durability of the device, as set forth.

Having thus described my inventiomwhat I hulls upon the enlarged bearings, and secured claim, and desire to seizure by Letters Patent, thereon by means of screw-nuts b, substan i0 is tially as specified.

The combination with the cross-bar of the I 5 bolts having enlared bearings a, ancfscrew- I OMAR OLNEY threads at opposite sides thereof, secured to Vitnesses: said crossbar by means of screw-nuts, and CHARLES "W. Strown,

the connected angle levers pivoted to said 1. \V. HODsON. 

